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Is anyone in the world still taking Dosulepin??

Posted , 75 users are following.

Lisa362
Lisa362

HI,

I was wondering if anyone can help me here? I have been taking the tricyclic antidepressant dosulepin for the past 12 years. Last year I started reading stuff on the internet about it causing heart problems for people and that it wasn't being prescribed anymore. My doctor had never mentioned this to me. But I was worried so I went to my doctor to ask if I should change to another newer pill. She said she thought it was a good idea and switched me onto mirtazapine. To cut a long story short my anxiety and depression rocketed and I thought I was going to die so after a month I had no choice but to go back on dosulepin again. I had deteriorated so much that it literally took 4 months before I started to feel in any way well again.

Anyway I have now been back on dosulepin for 5 months and I know that I will have to take it for the rest of my life as it is the only drug that can help me. But I am starting to worry about the fact that NOONE seems to be prescribed it nowadays and everything on the internet seems to relate to how dangerous it is. I am frightened that I am on a drug that might give me a heart attack.

The doctor says I can have an EGC to check my heart but even if it comes back ok I think I will still worry about the fact that I have to take it daily for ever.

Please is there anyone on here that Is on dosulepin or another of the tricyclic's and if so do you have any information on the associated heart risks?

Thank you

Lisa

6 likes, 196 replies

196 Replies

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  • suzanne80938
    suzanne80938 Lisa362

    Posted

    Hi Lisa

    Exactly the same thing happened to me I have been taking dosulepin for 7 years Ive recently moved and have a new doctor. He said this drug is not given for depression now and put me on mirtazipine. I was on it for a week feeling suicidal.My doctor has put me back on dosulepin.But has taken the precaution of testing my cholestral Having read that dosulepin can cause heart problems. Im happy to take the risk Like you I think I will be on this for life

    • Lisa362
      Lisa362 suzanne80938

      Posted

      hi suzanne,

      I know exactly how you feel.   I stupidly stayed on mirtazipine for 4 weeks.   It was a living hell so I started taking dosulepin again off my own back as I had some left over and when I told my gp they kicked up a fuss about prescribing it to me again as it is so "toxic".  Anyway to cut a long story short eventually I got it again but it took me months to feel reasonably well again and to be honest wiith you even now (after nearly a year of being back on it) I'm not back to how I was before all of this.

      It does worry me that it isn't prescribed to new patients anymore but I know its the only thing that can help me so like you said I'm prepared to take the risk.

      I'm really glad that your doctor agreed to switch you back to dosulepin.  Like you i have to have a heart test though mine is to be an ecg to check heart rhythm and my psychiatrist has assured me that as long as i take it correctly it is a perfectly safe medication and that I have nothing to be afraid of, so I hope that those words help you too.

      Please let me know how you are getting on and would love to talk to you more about this as it is such a rarity to find anyone on dosulepin nowadays lol,

      take care,

      Lisax

    • nataliexox
      nataliexox Lisa362

      Posted

      Hi Lisa and fellow dosulepiners.

      So glad to find this thread. I'm currently titrating UP on dosulepin. So I'm probably one of the few people to be newly prescribed this which I a concern in of itself. Anyway I had been on sertraline at quite a high dose for a while and I was getting really bad restless legs. I had to keep going up and down depending on where I was at but not above 137.5 ( yes I know an odd amount) or id get hypomanic. So I went to see the new doc two months ago as my old one had moved cities. So she wanted me on dos starting at 25mg to get rid of rls. So all good for a month and then she wanted me to gradually lower the sert and increase the dos. End result ideally being 100mg sert and 75mg dos. To her credit the dos has seen me at the most level mood in a long time but I cant seem to get below 125 sert or above 25mg without terrible side effects. Si I guess what I'm askng in a roundabout way is how ling did the shaking and zombieness last? I really like the stable mood but the physical stuff is really hard to bear.

      Hope everyone else is doing good. I had to find a certain pharmacy who can order the dos for me and even knows anything about it. He said to go to 100 and 50 next week. I had to drop back from 50 neatly two weeks ago as I couldn't handle it...

      Right that is the most waffly email ever.

      Thanks in advance everyone.

      Natalie x

  • lorna01590
    lorna01590 Lisa362

    Posted

    I was wondering if there is still a shortage of Dosulepin 75mg tablets? I've been taking dosulepin for about 7 years now but am very sensitive to changes between the various generic brands available, 

    I take the Co Pharma Tablets and have been well for several years now, I've been taking 3x25mgs capsules for about two weeks now since I ran out of the 75mgs tablets and I am not sleeping well at all, I've been away on holiday for a few weeks and was hoping the problem may have resolved in my absence. Just before I went away some 75mg tablets were starting to become available again, but not the CoPharma brand.

    Reading this thread I guess I've been lucky that my GP has not as yet tried to swap me onto an alternative drug.

    xx

  • peter_a
    peter_a Lisa362

    Posted

    the very reason (cardiotoxic) reason I was taken of it in the end I have had 2 MI's one by-pass but still carried on taking dosulpin my motto then was if it aint broke don't fix it.  But sadly when I started to put in repeat request's NICE had gone to town on the GP's computer and was flagging it up as a no no so I now take Mirtazipine which is one of the newer quadrocyllic drugs

     

  • peter_a
    peter_a Lisa362

    Posted

    I was on doulpin for years then all of a sudden 4 years ago when I requested a repeat the doc said it was flagged when he entered it in for a repeat.  Aperently NICE had labeled the drug as cardiotoxic and for those with heart conditions like myself I was among the first to be taken of them as I already had an atrial fibrulation despite my plea that I still wanted that drug as it suited me he changed me over to Mirtazipine full dose and 4 years later I am still not happy with it.
    • lesley_15
      lesley_15 peter_a

      Posted

      Can I ask why your still on it if your not happy with it
  • peter_a
    peter_a Lisa362

    Posted

    mainly because the alternative Paroxetine did actually drive me up the wall I was sectioned but taken of the Paroxetine and put on the Mirtazipine there was something about my chemical make up that rebeled when ssri's were introduced into my body.  Why am I still on it even though I have bad moments you ask I guess the answer to that is they make the best of a bad job on the whole.
    • lesley_15
      lesley_15 peter_a

      Posted

      Fair enough, if it takes the edge off that can only be a good thing, hope you get well soon, sending hugs smile
    • peter_a
      peter_a lesley_15

      Posted

      thanks for your comments like most of us we have good days and we have bad the main thing is we get there in the end cry
  • Flowerlady
    Flowerlady Lisa362

    Posted

    Oh my god Lisa, you have sure brought up concern for me. My Rheumatologist perscribed Dosulepin for me to help with pain and to help me sleep. One at night for a month, then up to two at night. I, before taking this drug only slept 1/2 hours but now I am managing 6...I only take one tablet, I just don't want to take two as I did not want AntiDs in the first place as I am not depressed!!

    I have been to docs today, and he asked am I taking 2 so I said yes (lies)

    I am really worried nowsad I may stop them, unless someone else on here has any more info for us please...Anne...

    • Lisa362
      Lisa362 Flowerlady

      Posted

      Hi Anne,

      It's Lisa here.  Don't worry atall about taking dosulepin.   It is a very good anti depressant with a good sedative effect.  I have been taking 150mg every night for years.  I had an ecg recently to check that my heart beat was normal and as it was there is no problem with me taking it.  If you have concerns about your heart then request an ecg from your doctor and that will put your mind at rest.

      I am actually relieved to hear of someone who has been  put on dosulepin as everyone seems to be getting taken off it just now.  But I have asks tons of medical professionals and they have no knowledge of it being withdrawn from the market and i have no problem obtaining it from my local boots.

      My psychiatrist has assured me that it is a perfectly safe drug to take as long as it is taken correctly ie the right dosage.   So try not to worry and take the does your doctor is recommending.

      take care,Lisa

    • Flowerlady
      Flowerlady Lisa362

      Posted

      HI lisa,

      I am only taking the one, not two like my doc thinks I am.

      I will go and see another doctor for a second opinion I think, as I am quite concerned..Regards...Anne...

    • Flowerlady
      Flowerlady Lisa362

      Posted

      HI lisa,

      I am only taking the one, not two like my doc thinks I am.

      I will go and see another doctor for a second opinion I think, as I am quite concerned..Regards...Anne...

    • Kelleysmum
      Kelleysmum Flowerlady

      Posted

      HI Lisa and Anne, I think you will have missed my post from the other day Lisa replying to yours from ages ago.  I was using the nickname tiawhitecat but have changed it.

      I saw my GP on Wednesday and she confirmed they have been instructed not to prescribe Dosulepin to any new patients and that although the 25mg capsules are still available she doesn't know for how long and they are warning patients!  Apart from that she didn't have any answer to what happens when they are withdrawn completely.

      I don't think this is good enough from any point of view.  My appointment was actually with my mum's GP because I couldn't get one with my regular one.  I have got two months supply but I've made an appointment to discuss it with my own in 3 weeks.  My husband takes the same, except he is on 75mg for migraine, so it affects us as a family.  Will report back anything I find.

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